Islanders vs. Maple Leafs Recap: Stolarz and Horvat Cash

The Maple Leafs beat the Islanders 2-1 in regulation, and Toronto did all of its scoring in the first period. Colton Sissons tipped in the opener at 7:14 of the 1st, and Easton Cowan added a power-play goal at 11:55 of the 1st. New York did not break through until 14:09 of the 3rd, when Emil Heineman scored shorthanded off a Bo Horvat assist. New York outshot Toronto 27-26. Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves on 27 shots in the Toronto net, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 24 of 26 at the other end. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

Bo Horvat 3+ shots on goal (-170 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Horvat averaged 3.3 shots per game last season, and Toronto gave up 32.4 shots per game, the most of any team on the slate. Volume shooter against a defense that bleeds shots. - What happened: Horvat finished with 4 shots on goal, 1.5 over the line, plus the assist on Heineman's shorthanded goal in the 3rd. He logged 22:31 of ice time, including 5:59 on the power play. - Worth watching: Nearly six minutes of power-play time is a big shot-volume floor. As long as he keeps that role, his shots line is worth a look against teams that give up volume.

Anthony Stolarz over 25.5 saves (-130 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Stolarz was confirmed for the back half of Toronto's back-to-back. The Leafs allowed 32.4 shots per game last season and the Islanders averaged 28.2, so we expected a busy night. This was a longer shot that landed. - What happened: He made 26 saves on 27 shots for a .963 save percentage, clearing the line by 0.5. The 26th save was the one that cashed it, and the only puck that beat him was Heineman's shorthanded goal late in the 3rd. - Worth watching: Toronto blocked 21 shots in front of him, which cuts into his save count. Saves overs on Stolarz work best when the opponent is a high-volume team, and the margin here was thin.

How the game played out

Toronto built its 2-0 lead before the first intermission and then defended it. The Leafs scored once on four power plays, while the Islanders came up empty on four chances with the extra man and got their goal while shorthanded. Toronto won 60.0 percent of the faceoffs, and New York threw 24 hits to Toronto's 19.

Trends to watch

• Horvat's usage: 22:31 of ice time and 5:59 on the power play. That is top-of-the-lineup usage, and it is exactly what you want behind a shots prop.
• Toronto's shot blocking: 21 blocked shots for the Leafs against 11 for the Islanders. If that keeps up, it pulls saves totals down for Toronto's goalies even when the opponent keeps the puck.
• Special teams: both teams had four power-play chances. Toronto converted once, New York did not, and the Islanders' lone goal came shorthanded.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. More NHL coverage is on the NHL hub and in our NHL recaps. New to player props? Start with what a player prop is.